Part 27: The Blizzard Spear or, Fall of the Wall

Chapter 20x: The Blizzard Spear or, Fall of the Wall

So, sidequest time, and this time we're looking for the S-rank spear, from what we've heard so far. It's kind of disappointing to get it so late - we've been carting around Durandal since before anyone could even use it, but now we must be getting close to the end, so there's not a whole lot left to use it on. I suppose they had to balance out how goddamn awesome some of the spear wielding classes are, though (cough wyverns cough) but... well, regardless, let's see what lies in wait.


Roy turns his troops toward the ancient ruins on the outskirts of the town. A legendary weapon is said to be hidden within...

We knew that already, thankfully they don't waste too many words on it.



This looks like bullshit.



I was considering replacing him with an actual tick except, you know, that would have been really gross and I don't think anyone would be happier if I did.

Don't panic. The path through the ruins is blocked off. They're not getting in here so easily.

But the enemy has had so many victories against Ilia's troops! Even many of our own men have fallen to them. I don't see how we can expect victory...!

This? I like a lot. Far too often in these kinds of games you get enemies going like "You may have bested high-ranking commanders A through W, but I, commander X, will surely emerge victorious! Because reasons!" and it's far too rare to hear them acknowledge that oh shit, it's the protagonist, we're fucked.

We don't need a victory. General Murdock said that we simply must hold our ground. We will defend until the enemy gives up and leaves.

And that could be a sound strategy, we don't exactly have time to lay a siege and wait for them to run out of food if we want to stop King Douche from laying waste to the rest of the continent, but fortunately we won't have to.



And then Roy arrives.



Yes. I believe that Maltet, the Blizzard Spear, lies in these ruins.

The Blizzard Spear...

Barigan the Holy Knight used it during the Scouring.

Barigan? He's a hero to all knights. I studied him a great deal. He was honorable in everything he did.
...This building seems to have walls everywhere. Is there a way inside?

Bern's forces most likely blocked the pathways to cover their tracks.

Then they must have been in a rush... Maybe the walls are weak in certain areas.

That is quite possible.

All right. Let's do what we can.

I could so make a Metal Gear crack here but I think I've made a lot of them over the years so I'll refrain.



So let's just look at the map. As you can see, we start in three groups, two of them small and wimpy.



This guy has a sleep staff, the guy next to him Berserk.



And they can reach this far.



The groups in the corners aren't safe either.

I didn't mind Windham, the berserk butthead boss in 16x, too much, but this just doesn't look fun at all. In order to make any kind of progress, each group has to have a restore staff user, or keep well out of berserk staff range until it's spent. If we had a good staff user (and I suppose I'll have to eat my words because Niime would fill that role quite well) there are some shenanigans we could pull to counter it, but Saul sucks too much to reach... without getting in berserk/sleep range first.

Granted, I could just wrap Fae into the middle room and the problem would probably just solve itself... but I used the Faebomb just two maps ago, gotta think of something else this time.

For the time being, Saul eats the energy ring (not that it will help...) and Dorothy arrows the axe guy.



Not many numbers, but the right numbers.



The first enemies aren't terribly threatening.



You know what, fuck it, let's just rush in, what's the worst that could happen?



Fuck you, walls!



Roy slaughtered an axe dude hidden under Shanna's health bar. Well, I guess it had to happen eventually.



These promoted guys have a lot of health! Fortunately, Fir has 50% crit with an iron sword at this point, so



Eeeehhhh.



Sleep staff druid targets Jerrot, because apparently the fact that he has more than a 0% chance to avoid it makes him irresistible to sleep staff scumbags.



I think I would have preferred if the hits had been reversed, but it's okay, Noah is slower than the other two on this side, they can outrun him.



With Saul past the wall, he can finally reach someone on the inside. Have a taste of your own medicine!



Meanwhile, some cleaning up in the rooms below. This is... pretty damn good for a single-stat level, actually. Bartre is kinda slow.



That's the last guy, so we get started on the walls next.



A berserked Noah is dangerous, but can't do much when everyone can outrun him.



...and then a swordmaster with a brave blade, 55% hit and 13% crit manages to land a crit and a normal attack on Roy...



...and that...



...was that.

...

I'm more surprised than anything else, really. The chance of that happening was... not terribly big.



Let's try this again. This time, Bartre eats some speedwings.



And Roy kills a warrior, again.



...

Maybe I should get you killed more often, Roy. It seems to be agreeing with you.



Bartre is also pushing 50% crit rates.



...and this time he gets the +HP level. Dang it, Bartre...



Then he gets berserked at 100%.



Run awaaay!



So he attacks the enemy instead.



I'm going to be a bit more careful this time.



No charging in until this guy breaks his Zerkerstaff.



Two charges.



With no enemies left, Bartre charges the blue team, but gets cured before he reaches them.



So they use the sleep staff on him instead.



With the status staves out of charges, it's time to start moving.



And Saul tries again.



With Noah being a little more sane, he has time for another support with Jerrot.

Is this about the letter? Have you changed your mind?

Yes, I suppose even I have someone I want to send a letter to when I die. It's you.

Me?

"You do know I'm married, right?"

Treck and I... And Grant and Sieks... We've all made it this far thanks to you. I want to express my gratitude to you when I die.

...I see.

Speaking of those two... I wonder where they are now.

I have no idea. But I instructed them well. They won't die so easily.

I heard that some people we used to work with were hired by Bern...

Yes... But such is the life of a mercenary. We give our blood and get money in return.

...Commander Jerrot, what do you think of that?

Of what?

Nobles from other nations say that Ilia sells death for a living. They say that we're vultures. That we prey on blood and decaying flesh.

It doesn't bother me. We both know that Ilia couldn't survive without war. We give our own blood to survive.

You're right.

And that was a support rank.

...I still wonder what Ilia did back when things were peaceful. I mean there's always going to be bandits and such, but probably not enough to employ a whole country... Oh well.



There's a brave weapon on the right side too, but it's a lot less dangerous.



Strength, Fir! Strength!



Meanwhile, our berserked swordmaster (who has a killing edge just to be extra assholeish - I guess that's what they planned for you to do, actually) starts killing the squishy casters.



My squishy casters do some killing, too. Speed, Hugh! Speed!



Fae is about the only person who can one-shot the walls. Fortunately they only have 40 HP instead of the 100 that proper walls have.



Calculating this so that Roy won't be in range to be two-shotted by another lucky attack from that swordmaster.



I want Bartre's axe rank up, so he gets to kill a few more dudes. It... didn't work out very well.



Mages just melt if Fae looks at them funny.



It's kinda hilarious.



And you get the fuck out.



Strength capping in 5... 4...



And Noah finally gains magic again! The left side is basically clear now.



Saul's cutting it a little close, but he's in no real risk... I say as I stare at that 3% crit chance.



One druid down!



The promoted enemies could actually hurt Fae, a little... if they could hit her. Which they can't.

Fae is ridiculous.



Effective weapons? Schwarth is not impressed.



Shanna isn't either. She probably should be, though.



And the final druid goes down. You've done well, swordie.



Fae doesn't even breathe fire when she knocks down walls, she just kinda steps on them.



And that warrior in the shot above? He's gone now.



A lot of things are gone now.



Almost done now.



Bartre eats that robe, because well, who else?



Finally, we're in!



The swordmaster tries to crit Bartre to make up for what he's done... but Bartre crits harder.



Wall? They all fall.



So everyone piles on poor Tick. I'm just going to ignore the enemies in the remaining closed-off areas; they don't have anything I really need.


How did you get through those walls?

You tell me, you've been sitting here watching me the whole time!



Only the throne avoid bonus allows Tick to survive a single round.


But you will know Bern's true power soon...

He doesn't last long, though.



Goddammit Bartre.



And that's a wrap.


...This is Barigan's lance Maltet... It's beautiful, as if it were made of ice.

It's also another Song of Roland reference.

In fact, so's Barigan, who's basically described as a pretty cool guy, oh, aside from the fact that he's a filthy heathen who needs to be put down. But that's all from the shitty second half, so we won't go into that here.



Good. Let them go.

Let them go? We must attack.

No, don't. We've already won. They don't want to fight us.

But...

They all have lives and families. There's no need to take that away from them.



Roy has space in his inventory, so it just goes there without fanfare. We'll get a better look next chapter.


So may I ask...?

...The rest of the story.

You said King Zephiel was an outstanding pupil in everything he did... It sounds like he would have been an ideal heir to the throne.

Yes, I have no doubt.

But still your father never looked kindly at him.

In truth... our father began to despise Zephiel precisely because of his talent.

Why... would a father resent his own son's talent...?

Our father was a man of unextraordinary skill and intellect. Zephiel's outstanding talents made our father colder towards him.

He was envious...?

He went as far as to tell Zephiel that he would never inherit Bern. He said that instead, the throne would go to my future husband.

His own father told him that?! What a heartless man!

But Zephiel held strong. He always said he never cared about inheriting the throne. But the people of Bern knew of Zephiel's genius and wanted him king. Pressured by the public, our father lost his patience at last...

That's when he decided to kill Zephiel...?

Our father gave Zephiel a goblet full of a poisoned drink at a banquet. That was the first and last time Zephiel ever accepted a drink from our father.
After returning to his room, Zephiel began to fall dreadfully ill. For ten days and nights, Zephiel lingered between life and death. But Murdock, Zephiel's teacher and loyal general, saved his life.

...The old king made no further attempts on his life?

No. At least, not to completion... I have heard that he schemed to have Murdock and Zephiel's mother killed. He was scheming to murder everyone connected to Zephiel.
Upon learning of our father's intentions, Zephiel feigned death. At his funeral service, our father leaned over the coffin to view Zephiel's body. It was at that moment that Zephiel sprung from the coffin and... sword in hand...

......

I was but a child then, so naturally I could not understand what was going on. All I knew at the time is that our father died, and Zephiel never smiled again. Before then, he was stern at times, but always a kind and loving brother. But after everything that happened...

Princess...

I knew that someday I may have to act against him.

I... see...


Roy, please... You must stop him. Stop him from destroying Bern and from destroying Elibe.

Such a feat will likely require my blade. Can you still ask such a thing of me?

...I trust your judgment. Do what you must.

You have my word, Princess Guinivere. I swear by the Fire Emblem that I will stop King Zephiel!

"A man of unextraordinary skill and intellect" is a pretty sweet insult, I'll have to remember it.

Anyway, Zeph's backstory is pretty metal, but he's still King Douche and we'll have to stab him a whole lot. Still, I suspect there's going to be some stuff to take care of before we can do that...



That chapter name sounds promising! Next, I guess I'll find out if it's as cool as it looks.